The Long Slog

So here we are: February 22. The long slog of winter.

Here in the Upper Midwest, we have many weeks of cool weather still ahead of us. If statistics are to be believed, we stand a good chance of getting dumped on by a spring blizzard or two. (March is traditionally our snowiest month.) Our average daytime high doesn’t even hit 50 until the first week in April.

It’s true that the sun is lingering longer, and we enjoyed a few days of above-freezing temperatures last week. The songbirds have returned. The snow drifts are turning into dangerous piles of razor-sharp ice pellets, coated with black grime (which is actually an encouraging sight, when you are eager for winter to end).

But spring is most assuredly not around the corner for us. For now, the future is more of the same. No change in sight.

And so we wait.

Quite honestly, it feels like the story of my life right now. Not only am I lusting after spring and warmer days and tiny buds of green on the trees, but I am eagerly awaiting the birth of our son in May. No other pregnancy has sucked the life out of me like this one. (When I asked my OB at my last appointment, “I’m guessing this is just a combination of my fourth baby and being 38?” she only grinned at me. Darn.)

I am waiting to see how this year unfolds. We have Many Big Life Decisions ahead of us. It’s possible that this time next year, nothing will have changed. We will still be living in our townhouse, Corey will be working at the same marketing company, the kids will continue attending the Christian school in a neighboring suburb. But we could also be on the other side of the country, living in a city I’ve never even visited. Corey could be working at a new job, and I could be working to resettle our family in a brand new place. With a new baby. Both outcomes are equally possible and believable, and right now, we have no clear indicator of the journey ahead.

We also have a house that’s been on the market for 3.5 years now. We are still waiting (and waiting and waiting) for someone to buy it.

That’s a lot of waiting. But something tells me, you can relate. You might not be waiting for the same things as me. Maybe you’re waiting for an adoption to go through. Maybe you’re waiting for God to bring you a mate. Maybe you’re waiting for God to answer your pleas and resurrect your relationship with your spouse.

And waiting can be torturous, especially when we feel like we’ve waiting long enough. I mean, come on, God. How long do you expect us to wait? Are you still there? Do you even care that we are lost in the mist?

(To be continued tomorrow....) (Somehow, it just seems fitting to make you wait.)

I know exactly what you mean... but often times in the waiting - we find other things that we needed to find. I love this song about waiting on the Lord - I hope you like it.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4joxx9aRNi4

I am NOT good at waiting. I want what I want when I wanted... and so this post really spoke to me. Letting go of things and trusting God's timing has really been the key to all of my happiness and life, and yet it seems to be a lesson I need to learn over and over again.

I'm due w/ my 4th June 6. Intellectually I know that this means that I'll give birth when it's summer. And in my mind this means that I will be pregnant forever as I can't see this winter EVER ENDING. Here in CO we're used to intermittent winter. It'll snow, then be in the 50's and 60's for awhile. Crocuses have been known to bloom around Valentine's Day. This year has been one long, cold, snowy, unrelenting winter with just more of the same in the freaking forecast. Nothing like the midwest, I'm sure, but I'm still going insane!

And that's just the weather. I can't imagine all the rest :) Hang in there!

You know I know exactly what you mean. Except, of course, for the new baby part, I am living this with you. The cool thing is, I don't feel nearly as freaked out and limbo-ish about everything as would normally be my tendency. There is something very calming in knowing that I can't mess up (or hurry up) the Master's plan.

Oh my - do I ever get this. We've been in a season of waiting for a verrrrrry long time. That last paragraph - currently living it. Waiting and hoping for my husband to get a full time permanent job. He completed his PhD over 2 years ago and still...we wait and we long for the day we can put down some true ROOTS.